Shock cushioned load platform for speed boats



SHOCK GUSHIONED LOAD PLATFORM FOR SPEED BOATS Filed Jan. 20, 1964 carol/"e3 United States Patent O 3,207,112 SHOCK CUSHLIONED LOAD PLATFORM FOR SPEED BOATS Uffa Fox, Cowes, Isle of Wight, England, assigner of onehalf to Herbert Terry & Sons, Limited, Redditch, England, a British company Filed Jan. 20, 1964, Ser. No. 338,739 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Jan. 30, 1963, 3,738/ 63 4 Claims. (Cl. 114-65) This invention relates to boat-s, and more particularly speed boats.

The object of the invention is to provide means whereby the load, for example the crew, passengers, machinery, instruments or cargo may be isolated from the hull of .a boat to avoid the transmission of shock waves which are particularly disturbing at high speeds.

In accordance with the invention, .considered broadly, a load-carrying platform or structure is resiliently suspended relative to the hull of a boat by means of a plurality of series of springs which extend both upwardly and downwardly from the periphery of the platform or load supporting structure.

The invention is more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of a hull and shock and cushioned platform;

FIG. 2 is a sectional plan view taken on the line 2 2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view showing a transverse section of a modification.

Referring rst to FIGS. 1 .and 2, the floor shown therein comprises a freely movable rectangular platform member located between side' structural members 11 which form part of the sides of the hull structure of the boat. Between the members 11 are longitudinally extending further parallel supporting members 12. A lower spring supporting shelf is formed by lower peripheral supporting members 13 secured to andextending along the members 11 and by transverse lower peripheral supporting members 14 which span between the members 11. A similar upper spring abutment shelf is formed by upper peripheral supporting members 15 and 16 parallel to and vertically spaced above members 13 and 14.

Around the periphery of platform 10 is disposed a series of steel springs 17 of frusto-conical helical configuration, the ends of these being trapped or located in cups 18 which are secured to the lower peripheral supporting members 13 and 14 and to platform 10. Similar springs 17 extend along the length of the longitudinal supporting members 12; the axes of all springs 17 are normal to the plane of the platform 10.

Above the platform 10 and springs 17 is disposed a series of similar upper springs 19 which, in this case, extend around the periphery of the platform only, and are located co-axially with springs 17, one being located above each alternate spring 17.

By these means platform 10 is suspended resiliently, and although the platform will normally be stable and ICE constant in position relative to the iixed hull structure, it may yield and return when a shock wave passes through the hull, thereby insulating any load on the platform from the shock.

Any convenient means are provided to guide the edges of the platform slidably and prevent jamming following tilting.

The modification shown in FIG. 3 diifers in that springs of different rating are used above and below the platform 10; speciiic provision is made for preventing jamming in that the edges of the platform are guided by balls 20 located in bores 21 and urged outwardly by helical springs 22 into contact with wear plates 23.

Any shock imparted to the hull structure 11 will result in certain of the springs shortening and others lengthening, with subsequent recovery, so that shock transmission to the platform is minimized or avoided.

I claim:

1. In combination with the hull of a speed boat, a freely movable platform member extending transversely between opposite sides of said hull; vertically spaced supporting members extending above and below said platform member around the periphery thereof; a first series of spring members extending between the upper ones of said supporting members and the upper peripheral portion of said platform member; a second series of spring members extending between the lower ones of said supporting members and the lower peripheral portion of said platform; at least one further supporting member extending below said platform member intermediate the lower ones of said vertically spaced supporting members; and a further series of spring members extending between said further supporting member and the bottom of said platform member.

2. The combination according to claim 1, further comprising guide means interposed between the sides of said platform member and said sides of said hull.

3. The combination according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of said further supporting members are provided, all of said further supporting members extending between opposite lower ones of said vertically spaced supporting members, said combination including a plurality of said further series of spring members, each series of said further series of spring members extending between one of said further supporting members and the bottom of said platform member.

4. The combination according to claim 1, wherein all of said spring members are compression springs.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 804,884 11/05 Rutan 248--20 1,416,155 5/22 Ahola 114-220 X 1,527,795 2/25 Greve 267-65 1,914,573 6/33 Kookogey 114-85 X 2,146,089 2/39 Onions 267-64 2,560,005 7/51 Shawbrook et al. 267-64 2,604,317 7/52 Koller 248-20 MILTON BUCHLER, Primary Examiner.

FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATIN WITH THE HULL OF A SPEED BOAT, A FREELY MOVABLE PLATFORM MEMBER EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY BETWEEN OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID HULL; VERTICALLY SPACED SUPPORTING MEMBERS EXTENDING ABOVE AND BELOW SAID PLATFORM MEMBER AROUND THE PERIPHERY THEREOF; A FIRST SERIES OF SPRING MEMBERS EXTENDING BETWEEN THE UPPER ONES OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBERS AND THE UPPER PERIPHERAL PORTON OF SAID PLATFORM MEMBER; A SECOND SERIES OF SPRING MEMBERS EXTENDING BETWEEN THE LOWER ONES OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBERS AND THE LOWER PERIPHERAL PORTION OF SAID PLATFORM; AT LEAST ONE FURTHER SUPPORTING MEMBER EXTNDING BELOW SAID PLATFORM MEMBER INTERMEDIATE THE LOWER ONES OF SIAD VERTICALLY SPACED SUPPORTING MEMBERS; AND A FURTHER SERIES OF SPRING SUPPORTING MEMBERS; AND SAD FURTHER SUPPORTING MEMBER AND THE BOTTOM OF SAID PLATFORM MEMBER. 